Is All Pride Wrong?

[ktn4eg]

Given the Bible's teaching on pride, is any form of pride therefore wrong?

• "I'm proud to be a Baptist!"
• "I take pride in my work/my appearance!"
• "I'm proud of my own/spouse's/children's accomplishments!"
• "I'm proud to be an American!"

Are such sentiments wrong?

Maybe we're just dealing with semantics, but this is something I've wondered about.

Anyone care to comment on this observation?

 

[Tom Butler]

ktn, I notice you're from the south, and I was reared in West Tennessee. I do think much of it is a semantic problem. When we used the word proud, what we are really saying is that we "take great pleasure in" something. Wordreference.com also defines this kind of pride as "contentment" or "satisfaction" with another's achievementws.

Another definition is "the trait of being spurred on by a dislike of falling below standards." As, "I've got too much pride to do anything half-way."

Then there's the pride you're talking about, defined as "arrogance, hautiness, conceit, vanity, self-esteem, self-pride, egotism, self-importance." Yes, I think this kind we should avoid. The mark of a believer is not pride, but humility.

 

[Tom Butler]

Oh, sorry. I used the word "reared." I should have known better. We southerners were not reared. We were "raised."

 

[Helen]

Well, now, Tom may not know HOW he grew up, but his response is one I agree with! LOL...

My three granddaughters just showed me their report cards yesterday, which came in the mail. The oldest got straight A's. I was proud of her. I praised her for her accomplishment because I knew she had worked hard for it. The next in line did not get such good grades, but she had a very, very difficult teacher. I was just as proud of her for striving under such odds and doing as well as she had. And the youngest also had an excellent report card and I was very proud of her.

I am proud of my husband when he is speaking, and proud of the work he does.

These are not the kinds of pride which are a sin, but it is a word we use, nevertheless. I know God has gifted these people in different ways and they are using these gifts well. So I'm proud of God, too! He's fantastic!

It is self-pride, the building of one's self up in one's own estimation or the attempt to do so in the eyes of others which is wrong. Anytime we concentrate on ourselves, whether in false humility, pride, or any other way, it is wrong. We need to take care of ourselves, but that is primarily so that we can be doing the Lord's business in taking care of others.

So, yes, I do think it is a semantic thing.

When I was a deaf interpreter we ran into this problem, for there is only one sign for 'pride' and it is the closed hand with the open thumb moving up the center of the chest -- very much an indication of a self-centered feeling. The deaf ladies in my Bible study and I spent much time discussing different types of pride and they came to the conclusion that because of the way the sign was, they preferred "You make me happy" or similar in order to stay away from the 'pride' sign.

 

[ktn4eg]

Thanks for the input.

BTW, Tom, I wasn't reared, raised, or growed up in the South. My childhood home was about 25 miles NW of Philadelphia PA. (PA, if you'll recall, was the state that gave you Gettysburg back in 1863. :smilewinkgrin: )

OTOH, I've lived in TN since 1972, so I guess you'd say I'm a naturalized Confederate. Personally, I have very little interest in the War of Northern Agression. (However, if you want to talk about our War for Independence back in the 1770's - 80's.......... :thumbs: :thumbs: )

 

[npetreley]

Given the Bible's teaching on pride, is any form of pride therefore wrong?

• "I'm proud to be a Baptist!"
• "I take pride in my work/my appearance!"
• "I'm proud of my own/spouse's/children's accomplishments!"
• "I'm proud to be an American!"

Are such sentiments wrong?

Maybe we're just dealing with semantics, but this is something I've wondered about.

Anyone care to comment on this observation?

I'll make an observation. If was not God's will, you wouldn't be a Baptist, do good work, have a nice appearance, achieve good accomplishments, have a good spouse or children who accomplish good things, or be an American.